Cover letter from Hillsborough expressing concerns about
defenses and fortifications in Newfoundland

3-4v

Sept. 1, 1764

Palliser (St. John’s )

Hillsborough (London)

Palliser’s concerns about the forts and garrisons at Placentia
and St. John’s in the aftermath of the French capture in 1762

7-8v

June 20, 1764

Hereford & Eyre
(St. John’s)

-

Return on the state and remains of ordnance and ordnance
stores at St. John’s

11v-12

July 2, 1764

Eyre & Gualy (St. John’s)

-

Return of garrison and detachment at St. John’s and Ferryland

13v-14

July 2, 1764

Doyers & Hamilton
(Placentia)

-

Return of the garrison and ordnance at Placentia

15

June 30, 1764

Gualy (St. John’s)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter to the governor expressing concerns about the lack of
provisions at St. John’s; a request for provisions

17-18v

July 14, 1764

Detachment of the 45th
regiment (Placentia)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Petition from the detachment of the 45th regiment at Placentia
expressing dissatisfaction with their monetary allowance for
fuel and candles

21-21v

July 15, 1764

Hamilton (Placentia)

Palliser (St. John’s)

A letter requesting that Hamilton receive a 6-12 month leave
of absence due to sickness and old age

23

March 1, 1765

Board of Trade (London)

Halifax (London)

Cover letter on a representation concerning French
interpretation of the Treaty of 1686; actual report does not
appear here - this letter may not belong in this collection.

25

March 23, 1765

Halifax (London)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter advising Palliser to send members of the 59th regiment
to Newfoundland in order to relieve members of the 45th
regiment, allowing them to return to Ireland

27-27v

April 8, 1765

Halifax (London)

Board of Trade
(London)

Letter of complaint concerning French violation of fishing
boundaries off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence

29-42

April 16, 1765

Board of Trade (London)

The King (London)

Letter in which the Board methodically lists (and dismisses)
the complaints of the French concerning fishing off the coast
of Newfoundland; the Board provides several complaints of
their own concerning French rights and conduct; mentions the
South and West Coasts of Newfoundland as well as St. Pierre

43-50v

May 14, 1765

Stephens (London)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter containing a detailed list of instructions concerning
proper procedure and conduct while fishing, traveling and
trading; contains an attached list of the ships and their
commanders employed during that year

52-55

July16, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Halifax (London)

Letter describing Palliser’s experience with encroaching
French fishing vessels off the coast of Newfoundland; he
expresses frustration at the difficulty of governing French
activity

56-56v

June 13, 1765

Adams (Niger in St.
Lawrence Harbour)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[enclosed with above] Letter alerting Palliser about French
ships in the vicinity

58-65

June 25, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

[enclosed with above] Letter expressing Palliser’s concerns
about French violation of fishing laws, as well as the measures
he intended to take in order to ensure that the terms of the
treaties between the two nations are enforced

65-65v

June 25, 1765

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French; enclosed with above] Response to Palliser’s
complaints about French violation of fishing rights off the
coast of St. Pierre and Miquelon. D’Angeac says that 4 armed
“esquiffs” or “barges” have taken four of our “chaloupes.”
They were fishing between Isle Verte and the Coast of
Newfoundland. Capt. Douglas spent the summer of 1763 here
without causing any trouble. You (Palliser)came here last year
and never raised any concerns. If there are any new
regulations, he prays that Palliser would make them known to
him.

66-68v

June 30, 1765

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[in French; enclosed with above] Letter addressing Palliser’s
complaints about French violations of the Treaty. D’Angeac
blames the violations on a few individuals who cannot be
lumped with the whole of the nation. A few French subjects
were taken on English boats and allowed to spend the winter
on the South coast of Newfoundland. If the English inhabitants
do not want them there, then they should be expelled. Palliser
will judge by all the licenses given to fishermen who go on the
banks and in the gulf, the effort expended in trying to keep
them within limits. The chaloupes fishing in the area near St.
Pierre and Miquelon are allowed there by the Treaty of Paris,
as no limits are explicitly mentioned. He has not seen any
“Indians” on the islands. They wanted to come here and he
replied no. He has not built any forts. English frigates come
often enough to know that. The six cannons we have were
never hidden and are not denied by the Treaty. If you had
complained about them, the Court of England would have
contacted the Court of France and I would have received
mention of it. I have no desire to use them. The two French
frigates are here to pick up my letters to the Court and will
leave shortly.

70-71

June 25, 1765

Chevalier D’Herlye
(Frigate Thetis at St. Pierre)

Palliser

[in French; enclosed with above] D’Herlye explains the
reasons why he is still here (he brought provisions and he
needs to repair the ship). He wishes to keep harmony between
the nations. In regards to the individuals that Palliser says are
in violation of the Treaty D’Angeac is willing to give you all
satisfaction that you desire. A second letter asks the governor
to return the chaloupes that were taken a few days ago. The
Treaty is not clear on that point and your ships come and go
freely here at these islands. Please release the two boats which
would cause the ruin of two fishermen. Palliser made an
annotation at the bottom of this letter in response to the
suggestion that D’Herlye would cruise on the coast from Cape
Bonavista to Pointe Riche [the “French Shore”] to warn
French fishermen not to violate the terms of the treaties.
Palliser forbids him to do that (“This, I told him, he must not
do”, adding that “I would not Suffer any French Forces to
come into this Country”).

This is a series of affidavits and declarations, all in French and
enclosed with Palliser’s correspondence of 16 July below.
Most of the declarations are by French fishermen operating out
of St. Pierre, though some declarations (Sperin, Lacey, Dorey
& Davis) are by residents of Great St. Lawrence, and Oderin.
They describe in great detail the practice of the French to
overwinter in Bay D’Espoir (at Rattling Brook, Great Jervis,
and Conne River) primarily to repair fishing boats, build
schooners, cut cargoes of wood to take back to St. Pierre, and
hunt. John Davis declatred that “the Bay of Despair is the best
Place upon this Coast for Timber for Building, and upon
which the Fishers upon this Coast mostly depend for Building
Boats, &ca.” Sperin also described how two hunters, “Indians
of Nova Scotia”, came to him in Bay D’Espoir where he
wintered and took one of his fishing boats, promising to pay
him for it eventually. The declarations also reveal that the
French are routinely fishing and curing fish at the islands of
Lameline and Ramea, building shore installations, harvesting
birds, and gathering bait on the sandy beaches there (shellfish
called “cocks and hens”, the only bait available for the early
fishery before the capelin come in). Finally, the declarations
reveal the intricate patterns of movement of some of the
French. One arrived from France, worked last summer in the
Magdalen Islands, then wintered at Codroy, before being
transported tp St. Pierre by a shallop which had arrived at
Codroy from Quirpon and was working for a merchant of
Granville. Among the French wintering at Rattling Brook in
Bay D’Espoir were several with strong associations with the
pre-1755 Codroy settlement, including Jean Bourney (or
Bourny), Gabriel Bourney, Jacques Bourney, and others.

78v-79

July 16, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

[enclosed with above] Summary of all of the preceding
declarations by French fishermen and English residents of the
South Coast, describing French activities upon
Newfoundland’s South coast

80-80v

July 11, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

[enclosed with above] Letter of compromise in which Palliser
agrees to free the arrested French fishermen (see previous
document) in exchange for various conditions

82-82v

No date (enclosed
with Palliser’s letter
on July 16, 1765)

D’Angeac

The owner of a fishing
schooner

[In French; enclosed with above] D’Angeac’s pass to a vessel
built in Newfoundland by Frenchmen, qualifying her as a
French vessel (see pp.91-93 for additional details)

84-86

July 16, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

[enclosed with above] Palliser’s orders and punishments (ie-
loss of land, deportation, etc.) for those Newfoundlanders who
were caught dealing with the French

87-87v

July 14, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

All commanders of
Newfoundland
stationed ships

[enclosed with above] Letter of warning to the French to stay
away from Newfoundland’s coasts and surrounding waters

89-89v

July 15, 1765

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French; enclosed with above] D’Angeac’s letter of thanks
to Palliser for returning the French men that had been arrested

91-93

May 22, 1765

Barbel (St. Pierre)

[Enclosed with above] Crew list of the schooner Jeanette (in
French; on p.93, Palliser sarcastically comments on the nature
of the French violations)

95-96

No date (1762?
1763 ?)

Board of the Admiralty
(London)

Capt. Thomas Graves
(London)

Additional Instructions to Graves concerning enforcement of
British trade regulations with respect to the colonies

97

Oct. 7, 1765

Board of the Admiralty
(London)

Henry Seymour
Conway (London)

Cover letter for a dispatch from the King

99-104

Sept. 11, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Halifax (London)

Summary of Palliser’s activities from July to Sept.; includes
summaries of several letters, numbered 1-7, which are
described below

105-106

July 27, 1765

Palliser (Croque)

No.1: Proclamation stating that the French were not to trade
with the natives, or leave anything in Newfoundland and
Labrador.

107-108

July 27, 1765

Palliser (Croque)

No.2: Order on a dispute
at Great St. Julien between and Englishman and a
Frenchman about fishing rights.

109-109v

July 27, 1765

Palliser (Croque)

No.3: Order to a French man to stop supplying brandy and
tobacco to the English seamen

111-111v

Aug. 1, 1765

Palliser (Croque)

No.4: Order forbidding French ships to leave any men behind
in Newfoundland

113

Aug. 5, 1765

Palliser (Croque)

No.5: Order forbidding Frenchmen to build shallops with
Newfoundland timber

115-116

Aug. 10, 1765

Palliser (Pitts Harbour)

No. 6: Order forbidding the French to hurt, bother

and trade with the Eskimos of Labrador

117-119

Aug. 28, 1765

Palliser (Pitts Harbour)

No.7: Regulations establishing a British fishery for cod, whale,
seal and salmon on the coast of Labrador.

120-120v

July 17, 1765

Palliser (St. Lawrence
Harbour)

Stephens (London)

Letter to the Board of the Admiralty to inform them about the
state of affairs in the Newfoundland government

122-123

Sept. 11, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Halifax (London)

Letter describing the illicit trade between the French and the
English

124-124v

Sept. 10, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Account of a French vessel when on a trading voyage off the
coast of Newfoundland

126-131

21 November 1765

French Court
(Fontainebleau)

[In French] Response to the complaints presented to the Court
of France by Mr. Hume, English Ambassador, (presented on
the 22 August 1765. In this document, the complaints
regarding the French who wintered and cut timber to build
vessels are addressed. The individuals who committed these
acts did them contrary to the will of the governor of St Pierre
and Miquelon. The French governor cannot act on it because
the English governor forbids it. The violators will be punished
if in fact proven guilty. For the second complaint regarding the
vessel built in Newfoundland, Palliser has to produce proofs.
The Treaty does not make mention of the limits around the
coasts of St. Pierre and Miquelon. The French frigates have
not encouraged illicit fishing. The frigates were not there to
fortify the islands.

132-134

Oct. 30, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter describing the details of Palliser’s activities from Sept.
to Oct.; includes summaries of several letters, all of which are
described below

136-137

Sept. 25, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

No. 1: Copy of an order from Palliser to a French ship to leave
Newfoundland because they will not stop trading with the
inhabitants of Newfoundland

138-138v

Sept. 25, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

No. 2: Palliser’s order concerning actions taken with the
French vessel allegedly wrecked near Old Ferrolle; Palliser
regards this a s a ruse to prevent French restrictions on
overwintering

140-140v

No date

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

No.3: Defense of French activity on the Newfoundland coast
(in French)

141-142v

Oct. 23- 24, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

D’Angeac (S.t Pierre)

No.4: Letter stating that if D’Angeac did not put an end to the
French encroachments on Newfoundland there would be
severe consequences

144-144v

Oct. 22, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Micmac Indians

Copy of an order to the Micmac Indians stating that they
needed to obtain a passport in order to leave Newfoundland

Cover letter for Palliser’s report on the allegations of Captain
Phillibot

150-151

Dec. 21, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Burke (London)

Palliser’s view on the allegations made against Captain
Phillibot

152

Jan. 1, 1766

Palliser (London)

Conway (London)

Cover letter for Palliser’s report on two French documents

154

Jan. 8, 1766

Palliser (Northumberland
Strait)

Conway (London)

A request for the memorial of the Court of France on
Phillibot’s trial

157-167

Nov. 22, 1765

Palliser (London)

Palliser’s remarks on the memorial from the court of France
(written in French and English)

168v-171

Jan. 11, 1766

Palliser (London)

List of French vessels and men detained for encroaching on
British territory and fishing out of the limits set by treaties
issued in 1765

172-172v

Jan. 10, 1766

Palliser (London)

Cover letter for Palliser’s return of the memorial from the
Phillibot case

174-174v

Jan. 9, 1776

Guerchy (London)

English Government

French complaints about the behaviour of English fishermen at
St. Pierre-Miquelon

176-176v

March 10, 1766

Palliser (London)

Conway (London)

Palliser’s response to French complaints

178-179v

March 31, 1766

Palliser (London)

Lord Edgmont
(London)

Palliser’s views on lawless behavior of fishermen (particularly
American )on the Labrador coast

180-189v

Nov. 21, 1765

Duc de Praslin (?)

Duke of Richmond

Draft of an answer to the memorial sent by the Duc de Praslin
to the Duke of Richmond

191

May 13, 1766

Board of Trade

Conway (London)

Cover letter for representation concerning a memorial on the
fishing regulations at Newfoundland

193-203v

May 13, 1766

Board of Trade

Conway (London)

Assessment and recommendations concerning the memorial
that follows in the next document

205-209

No date

(Copy of memorial by)
Proprietors of Labrador
fishing posts

Detailed complaint about Palliser’s measures to promote the
fisheries in Labrador

211-214v

Aug. 28, 1765

Palliser (St. John’s)

Copy of Palliser’s order to which objection was made in the
previous document

215-224

May 13, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

The King (London)

Copy of Palliser’s rules, orders and regulations to be observed
by all those living and working on the coast of Labrador and
on the islands of Anticosti and Magdalen

225-225v

May 28, 1766

Richmond (London)

Lords of the Admiralty
(London)

Letter containing instructions to be passed on to Palliser
regarding the manner in which to govern at Newfoundland and
Labrador in order to satisfy the King

227-227v

May 30, 1766

Palliser

Palliser’s notes on his understanding of the terms of the Treaty
of Utrecht and the Treaty of Paris as they relate to St. Pierre & Miquelon; both treaties are in relation
to fishing boundaries and regulations

229-229v

May 30, 1766

Palliser

Palliser’s orders and conditions concerning French fishing off
the South coast of Newfoundland

231-231v

May 31, 1766

Debbieg (London)

Government (London)

List of Debbieg’s needs to carry out his responsibilities in
Newfoundland

233-233v

June 2, 1766

Richmond (London)

Lords of the Admiralty
(London)

Letter containing instructions for Palliser to
halt his conduct with regard to St. Pierre & Miquelon following the King’s
orders (outlined in Richmond’s letter of May 28, 1776) “until he receives
further notice, or abusive behaviour of the French causes him to alter [these
instructions]”

235-235v

June 2, 1766

Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty (London)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Essentially repeating what Richmond requested in the previous
document

237-239v

June 28, 1766

Admiralty [Whitehall]

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter rejecting Debbieg’s proposal to immediately begin a
survey of all the harbors in North America, beginning with
Newfoundland

241-243v

June 28, 1766

Admiralty [Whitehall]

Debbieg (London)

Copy of the previous letter, except directly addressed to
Debbieg

245

July 4, 1766

Richmond (London)

Debbieg (London)

Reply to Debbieg’s letter of May 31 (see pp.231-231v) in
which Debbieg’s requests are granted

247

Aug. 25, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Richmond (London)

Letter stating that Palliser would welcome and assist Debbieg
in every way possible during his stay at Newfoundland

249

Aug. 24, 1766

Debbieg (St. John’s)

Richmond (London)

Update of Debbieg’s travels and condition while working at
Newfoundland

252

No date

General state of the English fishery and inhabitants of
Newfoundland in 1766

254

No date

Pallisser’s observations
and suggestions relative to the French fisheries in 1766

255

Sept. 29, 1766

Board of the Admiralty
(London)

Earl of Shelburne

Cover letter for a copy of Palliser’s letter from Aug. 25, 1766

257-263v

Aug. 25, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Stephens (London)

[enclosed with above] Letter reporting Palliser’s activities and
the events at Newfoundland from June to Aug.

265-266v

Nov. 11, 1765

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French; enclosed with above] Response to accusations that
the French were on the coast of Newfoundland; reference to
his surprise at the appearance of 9 shallops of Micmacs from
Cape Breton

268-269

July 6, 1766

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French; enclosed with above] The French governor is
making all possible efforts to keep fishermen from fishing
beyond three leagues from the coast of Newfoundland. Ships
have been taken by the English that were not in any violations
and he wishes that they be returned. Our ships are being
intercepted and asked a thousand questions. Have you
authorized this and is this a new rule, if so please inform me of
it.

270-272

Aug. 6, 1766

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French; enclosed with above] The governor received
Stanford here and attests of his good behavior compared to
that of the officers who cruise here in two warships. The
governor disapproves of the vagrants who went to cut wood at
Newfoundland. However, this doesn’t give you the right to
cruise with armed vessels. Fishing to the East of Saint Pierre is
apparently prohibited, I have not yet received these new
orders. One of the warships shot (gunshot) at L’Ile aux Chiens.
Compliments Palliser of his promotion Thank you for
returning the people that didn’t think they were in infraction.
The New England ships sold us some planks, cabbage, apples,
and onions that’s all. I have told the ships never to come back
because it pains me to see them being taken.

273-277v

July 26, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

D’Angeac

Palliser’s response to D’Angeac’s letters of July 6 and Nov.
11; complaints about French encroachment

279-280

Aug. 7, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Commanders of any
foreign ships

Letter advising all foreign ships that the English are ready to
protect their territory at Newfoundland in case they should be
advanced upon by foreign ships of war

281-282v

Aug. 30, 1766

Whale fishermen (Boston)

DeBerdt [probably a
commercial agent in
London]

Letter complaining about Palliser’s restrictions on the cod and
whale fisheries at Newfoundland

283-285

Aug. 1, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Whale fishermen
(Boston)

Palliser’s response to the previous letter, in which he
negotiates that the Americans can continue whaling at
Newfoundland, but they are not allowed to start a cod fishery

287-292

Oct. 27, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Lords of Trade
(London)

Report of Palliser’s activities and all events that occurred in
Newfoundland in recent months; mention of the arrival of
Micmac Indians

293-293v

Sept. 22, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Order concerning the occurrences of French ships wrecked on
the coast of Newfoundland

295

Sept. 9, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Lords of Trade
(London)

Cover letter concerning misgivings in St. John’s about a
Customs House being established there

297-300v

Aug. 28, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter complaining about Palliser’s strict restrictions on
trading in Newfoundland

303-303v

Aug. 25, 1766

Collector and Comptroller
of Customs (St. John’s)

Palliser (St. John’s)

Letter addressing fees payment for the Officers of Customs

305-307

Sept. 9, 1766

Palliser (St. John’s)

Merchants

Letter stating regulations concerning the management of a
Customs House in St. John’s

309-313

Feb. 9, 1767

Palliser (London)

Earl of Shelburne

Letter containing complaints about French encroachment on
Newfoundland territory as well as trade between the French
and English. Palliser explains his actions in taking away land
grants from French subjects. He appears to be providing
excuses for his actions and complaints brought against him.

314-316v

No date

French Captains

[In French] Summary of complaints by several French captains
operating on the French shore concerning English interference
with their fishing activities .

318-318v

Dec. 15, 1767

Palliser (London)

Earl of Shelburne
(London)

Update of fishing, trade and general conditions in
Newfoundland and Labrador

320-321

Dec. 5, 1767

Palliser (London)

Earl of Shelburne
(London)

Account of occurrences relating to the French fisheries and
French behavior in Newfoundland in 1767; general state of the
fisheries

322-323

July 10, 1767

Palliser (St. Lawrence
Harbor)

Captain of the French
Ships

Letter in which Palliser complains about French behavior and
requests that the French comply to the terms of treaties
between the two nations

324-325v

Aug. 20, 1767

Tronjoly (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. John’s)

[In French] Tronjoly’s explanation for the French decision to
send a warship to Newfoundland.

326-326v

June 22, 1767

Palliser (St. Lawrence
Harbor)

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser’s complaints about French presence on the
Newfoundland coast

328-330v

June 25, 1767

D’Angeac (St. Pierre)

Palliser (St. Lawrence)

D’Angeac states that the English officers on the warships
behaved properly during Palliser’s absence. Le Duc de Praslin
assured him that the French have fishing rights in the places
relating to the last Treaty. He will continue to do everything in
his power to stop violators to the Treaty. The frigate
L’Inconstante was sent on the orders of the Roy, commanded
by Mr. De Tronjoly to supervise the French fishing boats and
make sure they observe the Treaty. He will also return some
French inhabitants to France.

332-333v

Aug. 10, 1767

Palliser (Pitts Harbor)

Copy of the Establishment of the Ship Fishery in Labrador

334-334v

Aug. ?, 1767

Twenty-five ship
adventurers

Palliser (St. John’s)

Copy of a memorial from the Ship Adventurers at Labrador
requesting that Palliser support them in their rights and
privileges

336-337

June 2, 1767

Palliser (St. John’s)

Copy of Palliser’s order stating that any man considered
‘useless’ after the fishing season is over must be immediately
sent home

340

No date

General state of the English fishery and inhabitants at
Newfoundland in 1767

342

No date

General state of the French fishery at Newfoundland, St. Pierre
& Miquelon, the St. Lawrence and on the Banks